February 3, 2023

Flying Roach Infestations: Eliminating Pesky Roaches!

What’s worse than a cockroach invasion? What about a roach that flies?

Knowing if you have a flying roach infestation could help eliminate whatever creepy crawler snuck into your home. 

Keep reading to learn more about the flying cockroaches you may see inside!

Types of Flying Roach Infestations

Most cockroaches have wings, but not every species can fly. Common roaches like the German cockroach can only jump short distances or glide from a high-up space, while others can quickly zip around your home. 

Because some roaches are more destructive than others, it’s essential to recognize what pest is sneaking through your kitchen and pantry. Check out our list of flying roaches you could see indoors!

American Cockroaches 

American cockroaches are large and in charge. As the biggest cockroach species in the United States, there’s no missing these pests whenever they come inside. 

Typically measuring in at around an inch and a half, American cockroaches are much larger than the average house cockroach. Some can even grow two inches long or more!

Like most roaches, American cockroaches aren’t born with wings but slowly develop them as they mature. An American cockroach’s wings envelop its body and flare out as it spreads its wings to fly. 

Despite their large wings, American cockroaches won’t fly more than a few feet at a time. Homeowners typically watch these pests catch a flight from walls, cabinets, appliances, or other tall structures. 

Similar to German cockroaches, American cockroaches prefer to scale an object and hop off before beginning to fly, but the larger pests can cover longer distances. Watch out if you see this roach crawling around! They may get started and fly toward you!

So, why do you have this flying roach in your home?

American cockroaches are regular household pests, but they’re more common outdoors in sewers or damp spaces. While you can see them anywhere inside, these roaches often live in basements, garages, bathrooms, and dark pantries. 

Always remember that if you spot an American cockroach indoors during the day that there’s a good chance more are lingering nearby. Consult with a pest control professional whenever you find cockroaches invading your home!

Smokybrown Cockroach

Dark brown in color, the smokybrown cockroach is easily distinguishable from other common indoor species. The smokybrown cockroach isn’t a region-specific species in Washington and is instead primarily located in the American south and South American countries. 

Unless the climate outdoors is unsuitable for the roaches, you shouldn’t find too many of this species living it up indoors. Smokybrown roaches share a similar diet to other cockroaches and prefer to feed on organic matter and other goodies you have stored away in your pantry. 

Whenever the weather cools down, and the outdoor food sources dwindle, you’ll see an uptick of this species in any region where these pests are common, especially whenever female roaches give birth to more young. 

Because cockroaches are vectors of harmful diseases and pathogens, an infestation of smokybrown cockroaches could make your household members very ill. These pests can fly around to different areas in your home, spreading bacteria as they go.

Even though smokybrown cockroaches are primarily outdoor pests, they can still wreak havoc inside. Steer clear of these pests whenever they start flapping their large, long wings!

Asian Cockroaches

Here is another flying roach that is not common in Washington state! Asian cockroaches are some of the best fliers and can travel over a hundred feet at once. Talk about a quick mover!

Like the smokybrown roach, Asian cockroaches are more often outdoor pests. Gardeners typically struggle with Asian cockroaches hiding within their mulch and soil rather than finding them hanging out indoors. 

However, don’t be surprised if you spot a few of these pests in your kitchen or living room! Because of their strong flying skills, Asian cockroaches can head wherever their tiny wings take them.

Without proper pest management, Asian cockroaches can quickly infest your home, flying from spot to spot to lay eggs or breed. Plus, they can invade inaccessible areas like the top of your cabinets or appliances, making controlling their population difficult. 

Rest assured that indoor infestations aren’t common, but if you see similar-looking roaches indoors, you could have a more severe problem. 

Asian cockroaches are visually similar to the more destructive German cockroach, the most common indoor invader in the United States. You need to know their visual appearances like the back of your hand to tell these two apart!

When in doubt, contact a reputable pest control agency like us to diagnose the root of your pest problems. Understanding the type of insects indoors will help avoid serious infestations and eliminate the current situation quickly. 

What about Other Roach Species?

While not every cockroach is a flying roach, that doesn’t mean you want them sneaking indoors! 

The German cockroach and the oriental cockroach can’t fly, but these pests are still major nuisances across Washington state and the rest of the country. German cockroaches can glide across your home if they climb high enough. 

Because of their swift reproduction period, German cockroaches can quickly populate your home with more and more insects. Female roaches can give birth to over 30 eggs at once, producing a new case every few months. 

Because of their small size, German cockroaches can slip inside many spots in your home unnoticed. These pests are sneaky too! Unless you spot one out and about during the day, you may not notice an infestation until it’s significantly grown. 

When dealing with roaches, whether they fly or not, you’ll want to act quickly to remove them from your home. A roach infestation can cause many health issues like asthma or food poisoning. 

You can employ many at-home remedies against roaches, but you should rely on proven methods to quickly nip a growing infestation in the bud. Many spray pesticide solutions won’t work without proper application, while bug bombs are dangerous when misused. 

Eliminate the guesswork from your pest control with Zunex! We cover many common cockroaches that populate Washington state homes, and our trained technicians can quickly get your home back to normal. 

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